Thumb guard with adjustable strap



Nov. 11, 1952 H. D. BELKNAP THUMB GUARD WITH ADJUSTABLE STRAP Filed Oct.28, 1948 I/ In...

FIG. 2.

JNVENTOR. HOBART D. BEL/(NAP ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 11, 1952 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFlCE THUMB GUARD WITH ADJUSTABLE STRAP Hobart D.Belknap, Pasadena, Calif.

Application October 28, 1948, Serial No. 56,998

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to fastening means and more particularly to wriststraps, garment straps and the like and adjustable means for detachablyfastening the strap ends to each other.

Frequently in the case of jewelry wrist bands and the like it isdesirable to provide adjustable means for detachably fastenin the twoends of a wrist strap or adjoining ends of two straps as the case maybe. Moreover, it is often desirable that such fastening means be suchthat it cannot be unfastened with one hand. I have provided a simple,inexpensive and yet foolproof means for fastening strap ends which issimple to fasten and unfasten and yet cannot be unfastened with onehand.

In one embodiment, the improved fastening means of the inventioncomprises a series of spaced transverse holes extending through onestrap end, and a hook means aflixed to the other strap end, the hookincluding a transverse pin spaced from the end of the other strap andinsertable in one of the transverse holes to fit snugly therein. Bymaking the strap ends flexible it becomes impossible to remove the pinfrom the hole with one hand and yet it remains extremely simple to do sowith two hands.

This feature of the invention which makes it impossible to unfasten withone hand is particularly advantageous for childrens wrist bands and thelike. It is impossible for a child, either by accident or design tounfasten such a wrist band.

In U. S. Patent No. 2,225,896, issued December 24, 1940 I described athumb guard designed to break children of the thumb sucking habit. Thefastening means of the invention is ideally suited for use with such adevice since it cannot be taken off by the child and since, onceadjusted to the proper size, any free end may be cut off. The presentinvention is described with relation to an improved thumb guard althoughit is equally applicable as a fastening means for other wrist bands,garment straps and the like.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdetailed description taken in relation to the accompanying drawing inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side view of two strap ends forming the fastening means ofthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows an improved wrist band in accordance with the invention;and

Fig. 4 shows an improved thumb guard in accordance with the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the fastening means of the inventionincludes two flexible strap ends l and II. The end I0 has affixedthereto, or formed integrally therewith, a series of transverse holesl2, l3, l4, [5. If the strap is formed of molded rubber plastic or thelike the holes l2, I3, l4, may be formed integrally'as shown. Otherwise;the holes may be formed by aflixing tubular members transversely acrossthe end of a strap. It is not essential that these holes extend clearacross the strap nor that they be open at both ends. However, theillustrated embodiment is easier to produce in a molding operation.

A hook I6 is affixed to the end II and includesa pin I 6A spaced fromand substantially parallel to the end edge of the strap H. The hook I6is conveniently formed in the shape of an S with two legs I63 and IBCafiixed to or embedded in the strap II. In a molded article it isconvenient to embed the two legs of the hook member in the end of thestrap in the manner shown. By affixing two legs of the S-shaped hookmember to the strap the hook is prevented from pivoting and is not aslikely to tear loose from the strap.

In fastening the strap ends l0 and H together the leg IGA of the hookmember is inserted in one of the transverse holes in the end In as forexample the hole l5 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. To insure a snug fit thepin I6A may be provided with a small projection 18 which engages thewalls of the hole in which the pin is inserted.

An improved wrist band in accordance with the invention is shown in Fig.3. Ends 20A and 20B of the band 20 are flexible and it is thereforeimpossible to unfasten the same with one hand although they may bereadily fastened with one hand. This being the case, it is obvious withreference to Fig. 3 that the wearer could not take the strap off his ownwrist. This is true since any attempt to remove the pin l6 by twistingthe end 203 will serve to wedge the pm more tightly in the hole. At thesame time the fastening means is extremely simple to unfasten with twohands. By using two hands the ends 20A and 20B may be moved laterallywith respect to each other to slip the pin Hi from the hole in which itis inserted.

In Fig. 4 there is shown an improved thumb guard of the type shown inPatent No. 2,225,896 and particularly adapted to break a child of thethumb sucking habit. The thumb guard includes a pliable, ribbed bodymember adapted to overlie the user's thumb and extending backwardly to apoint adjacent the wearers wrist. The body is provided with a dependingloop 32 which encircles the thumb. The body 30 is made of a softresilient material to prevent injury to the child and is provided with aseries of spaced holes (not shown) for ventilation and to prevent theformation of any vacuum if the child attempts to suck his thumb with theguard on it.

In the improved thumb guard shown in Fig. 4 a wrist band 33 is formed asan integral part of the guard in a single molding operation and the twosections 33A, 33B of the band 33 include the improved fastening means ofthe invention. Thus, the section 33A has a hook 34 similar to the memberI6 (Fig. 2) embedded in the end thereof. The section 3313, which ispreferably longer than section 33A, is provided with a series oftransverse holes 35, 36, 31.

A feature of the invention as applied to the thumb guard is that oncethe proper adjustment is obtained any free end of the section 333 may becut off adjacent the hole in which the pin is inserted, i. e. the hole31 in the drawing. In this manner there are no free ends which can getcaught while the child is playing or which the child can chew upon orotherwise play with.

The invention also contemplates, therefore, an improved thumb guardcomprising a ribbed pliable body member adapted to overlie the thumb, aloop attached to the body member and adapted to fit around the thumb,and wrist straps afiixed to the body member, one strap being providedwith a series of spaced transverse holes adjacent its end, and a hookmember affixed to the end of the other strap and including a pin adaptedto fit snugly in one of said transverse holes.

Because of the feature that the strap cannot be undone with one hand andthe fact that any extra length may be out off to the exact point ofadjustment, the fastening means of the invention is particularly suitedto childrens use. However, it may also be applied, as above mentioned,in any article of apparel or otherwise where two ends of a strap or endsof two straps are to be joined to each other and where adjustability andsimplicity are important.

I claim:

A thumb guard comprising a flexible, ribbed body member adapted tooverlie the thumb, a loop depending from the body to fit around thethumb, two flexible wrist straps formed integrally with the body member,one strap being longer than the other and provided with a series ofspaced transverse holes adjacent its end, and a hook member, the hookmember being 8 shaped and having two legs embedded in the end of theother strap and a third straight leg spaced from and parallel to the endof said other strap, the third leg being adapted to fit snugly in one ofsaid transverse holes.

HOBART D. BELKNAP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS .Roehrl Apr. 12,1949

